1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a terminal fitting to be connected to an end of a wire.
2. Description of the Related Art
A terminal fitting is formed by press-working a metal plate with excellent electrical conductivity. For example, if a general structure of a female terminal is described with reference to FIG. 7 showing a comparative example, a main body portion 1 in the form of a rectangular tube to be connected to a mating male terminal is provided on a front end side, a wire barrel 2 and an insulation barrel 3 of an open-barrel type to be caulked and crimped to an end of an insulated wire W are provided on a rear end side, and the rear end of the main body portion 1 and the front end of the wire barrel 2 are coupled by a substantially U-shaped neck portion 4 in which side plates 6 stand up from opposite side edges of a bottom plate 5. In connecting the female terminal to the end of the insulated wire W, the wire barrel 2 is caulked and crimped to an end of a core Wa and the insulation barrel 3 is caulked and crimped to an end of an insulation coating Wb.
Here, bell mouths 2A flared open toward an outer side are also formed on opposite front and rear ends of the wire barrel 2 to prevent the breakage of the core Wa by the edges of barrel pieces. Further, the neck portion 4 as a coupling portion is U-shaped as described above so as to be coupled to the main body portion 1 while ensuring to be caulked and crimped into a proper shape without causing the breakage of the wire barrel 2 and the like. Such a female terminal is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-302560.
In recent years, there has been a tendency to miniaturize terminal fittings and the thinning of a metal plate as a base material has been adopted as one measure therefor. However, if the metal plate is thinned, deformation such as breakage easily occurs, i.e. there is a risk of insufficient strength in the above female terminal when an external force is applied particularly because the neck portion 4 is substantially U-shaped to have an open surface. Thus, a countermeasure against that has been desired.
The present invention was completed based on the above situation and aims to provide a terminal fitting realizing a strength increase of a neck portion only by being accompanied by a slight design change.